Method of resin treating tubular knitted fabric



March 31, 1959 J. COHN :ETAL 2,830,114

' v METHOD ,OF RESIN TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed May 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D ID INVENTORS JOSEPH COHN EUGENE COHN ATTORNEYS March 1959 7 J. COHN ETAL METHOD OF R ESIN TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed May 4, 1955 2 Sheet-Shet 2 INVENTORS JOSEPH COHN BY EUGENE COHN ATTO R N EYS United States Patent METHOD OF RESIN TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Joseph Cohn, New York, and Eugene Cohn, Great Neck,

N.Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding Corporation, Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application May 4, 1955, Serial No. 505,954

Claims. (Cl. 117-47) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating knitted textile fabrics, and particularly tubular knitted fabrics to at least preliminarily stabilize the widths thereof and to prevent or maintain at a minimum dimensional changes therein when garments made therefrom are subsequently laundered. More especially, the invention is concerned with a chemical treatment of knitted fabrics to accomplish such results in contrast to prior non-chemical treatment as, for example, that set forth in copending application Serial No. 490,232, filed February 24, 1955, and now Patent No. 2,831,233.

Chemical treatment of knitted fabrics to obtain substantial dimensional stability therein andin garments made therefrom even folowing subsequent rugged laundering and drying, is not in itself new and hence does not in and of itself constitute our present'inventon. Nor do the chemical treating agents employed which are in and of themselves well known to the art. Such well-known treating agents, which are entirely satisfactory for the purposes of our invention also, are usually mixtures of melamine, urea, formaldehyde and like resins with wellknown catalysts which stimulate chemical interaction between the resin or resins andthe fibers of the fabric, the mixture being carried in a Well-known liquid vehicle or carrier. The technology of the aforementioned wellknown chemical treatment of fabrics is also well known and briefly consists of the fact that during treatment of the fabric there is the chemical interaction betweenthe resins and the fibers of the fabric which, when terminated and completed by subsequent curing and setting by passing the chemically treated fabric through a drying and curing oven or ovens, interlocks the fibers through the agency of the resin and sets and stabilizes the fabric. A number of difliculties have, however, been encountered in the aforementioned approach toward the dimensional stabilization of knitted fabrics which have kept the results achieved heretofore from being entirely satisfactory. These have arisen mainly as a result of an inability to present the fabric to the resin treatment and maintain it during the resin treatment at a. satisfactory width which, as will be hereinafter pointed out, should approximate the desired finished width for the fabric, the finished width being that the fabric when cut for making into garments. This has resulted in the resin treatment of the fabric at a width less than and therefore at a length greater than that desired for finished fabric. The end product has therefore not been of the desired width or length because once the fabric has been chemically treated and cured and set, further dimensional change or adjustment, which in non-chemical and chemical treatments is effected finally in the finishing process, cannot be satisfactorily effected.

We have discovered, however, that the chemical treatment of the fabric can be made satisfactory and the end product produced therefore be of a satisfactory nature by what may be termed presetting of the fabric prior to chemical treatment. Such presetting of the fabric, both with respect to width and length dimensions and with 2,880,114 Patented Mar. 31, 1959 respect to stitch formation, can be accomplished by spreading and moistening the fabric as by steaming, prior to and advantageously immediately prior to subjecting it to the chemical treatment. In this way the fabric can be so conditioned as to approximate the con dition thereof desired in the end product and can be delivered to the chemical treatment stage in such condition and be maintained in substantially such condition during the chemical treatment. Hence, when cured and set in the latter portion of the chemical treatment, the fabric will be cured and set in substantially the condition thereof desired for finishing. Broadly, therefore, our invention involves a method of treating tubular knitted fabric which comprises first spreading the fabric to flattened form and advantageously to about the width at which it is desired to subsequently finish said fabric. The fabric is then moistened advantageously by the application of steam thereto, though other forms of moistening may be employed. The spread and moistened fabric is then impregnated with a resinous chemical treating'agent and finally is dried as by heating to cure and set the resinous component of the treating agent and the fabric.

More specifically, the invention involves a method of treating tubularknitted fabrics which comprises spreading the fabric to flattened form and to width and length conditions such as those desired in a finished fabric and applying moisture to the fabric by steaming the fabric while so spread. The fabric is maintained in such spread or flattened condition for a period of time sufficient to assure thorough penetration thereof by the steam and is then fed while so spread to a first pair of squeeze rolls, following which it is passed through a bath of a conventional resinous chemical treating agent. The impregnation of the fabric with the resinous chemical treating agent is completed by the passage of the fabric from the bath through a second pair of squeeze rolls, following it is then passed through one or more drying and curing ovens as a result of which it is made substantially dimensionally stable.

Our invention also contemplates the provision of suitable apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned method of treatment.

For a more detailed description of the method and apparatus of our invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of apparatus in accordance with this invention by. which the method of the invention may be carried out.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

In carrying out the method of this invention, the tubular fabric is first fed onto what has now become a conventional belt type spreader and propeller'of the type, for example, disclosed in Cohn et a1. Patent 2,228,001, assigned to the same assignee as is this application, on which it is spread to flattened form and to the desired width which, as previously indicated, should be about the width to which it is desired subsequently to finish the fabric. While spread the fabric is passed advantageously between a pair of steamers which may be of conventional form but which are preferably of the type disclosed in Cohn et al. Patent 2,602,314, assigned to the same assignee as is this application. In this manner the fabric is thoroughly moistened while spread'to the desired width. Preferably a substantial portion of the spreader or propeller extends beyond the steamers so that the fabric will be maintained spread for a short length of time to assure the thorough penetration thereof by the moisture. As is now well known in the art, this spreading and steaming of the fabric while spread imparts to the fabric a set which results in its substantially maintaining a predetermined width. The fabric is discharged from the propeller into the nip of a first pa'ir of squeeze rolls where it is pressed. The squeeze rolls are preferably adjustable to permit application of different amounts of pressure to the fabric. From the first set of squeeze rolls the fabric is passed into a bath of a conventional chemical treating agent which normally comprises, as hereinabove set forth, a resin or mixture of resins, a catalyst to aid the chemical interaction between the resin component and the fiber of the fabric, and a suitable vehicle or carrier which is often, depending upon the type of resin employed, water. The fabric is withdrawn from the chemical treating agent bath by a second pair of adjustable squeeze rolls by which the treating agent applied thereto in the bath is pressed therethrough to thoroughly impregnate the fabric therewith.

The fabric is then conveyed into a conventional dryer, not shown in the drawings however, by which it is cured and set. In certain instances, as is well known in the trade, two drying operations may be required, the first to preliminarily dry the fabric and drive off the vehicle for the resin and the second to finally cure and set the resin and fabric. As finally cured and set the fabric is dimensionaly stable and may be finished by conventional finishing and calendering means and delivered to the garment manufacturer. Garments made from such fabric will, despite subsequent rugged laundering and drying, maintain substantialy their original dimensions.

The specific apparatus illustrated comprises a spreaderpropeller having at its intake end a wire frame and at its discharge end a pair of endless belts 11 and 12 which may be of rubber or other suitable composition. The frame 10 is mounted on a pair of heads 13 connected together by an adjustable connecting rod 14 and mounted between a pair of adjustably mounted drive rolls 15 and 16. Also mounted on the heads 13 adjacent the iner end of the wire frame 10 are follers 17 which, in cooperation with drive rolls 15 and 16, draw a length of fabric 20 onto frame 10. Endless belts 11 and 12 are mounted on pairs of supporting pulleys 21 and 22. Pulley 21 of each pair is mounted on one of heads 13 and is adapted to support its supported belt in contact with one of driven rolls 15 and 16 whereby the belts are driven and the fabric 20 carried thereby after it leaves contact with the driven rolls 15 and 16. Pulleys 22 are supported on suitable frame members 23. At its discharge end the propeller carries a suitably mounted dead bar 24 which is adapted to extend substantially into the nip of a first pair of squeeze rolls 25 and 26. A pair of steamers 27 and 28 of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Patent 2,602,314 are mounted to lie one on each side of the endless belt section of the fabric spreader and propeller. The steamers 27 and 28 are preferably located quite closely adjacent drive rolls 15 and 16 so that after the fabric 20 has been steamed it is permitted a short length of time while still spread, and prior to entry into the nip of squeeze rolls 25 and 26, in which to thoroughly absorb and be penetrated by the steam.

The lower squeeze roll 26 is supported on a common shaft with sprocket 30 which is driven by chain 31 from drive shaft 32. Drive shaft 32 also carries a pulley 33 which, through belt 34, drives a variable pitch pulley 35 of conventional form drivingly interconnected in a conventional manner with drive rolls 15 and 16 supporting and driving the propeller. A conventional belt take-up device 36 adjustable through operation of adjusting handle 37 adjusts the speed at which variable pitch pulley 35 is driven by changing the pitch diameter of the belt 34 therein.

The upper squeeze roll 25 is mounted on a pair of pivotablearms 39 by which is may be raised away from squeeze roll 26 or urged into contact therewith under varying degrees of pressure. The latter is effected by the connection to the outer ends thereof of connecting rods 40 through compression springs 41. Each concrank type adjusting member 43 located beneath the main maintained beneath the surface level of bath 51 by a second idler roll 53 beneath which it passes, the surface level of bath 51 being maintained by any suitable means for adding the resinous chemical treating agent to pan 52. While submerged in the bath 51, the fabric is impregnated with the resinous chemical treating agent.

The fabric 20 is then withdrawn by a second pair of squeeze rolls 55 and 56, the upper one of which is mounted between pivotable levers 57 which may be spring urged downwardly by red and spring mechanisms 58 in a manner similar to the pivoting of levers 39 for upper roll 25 of the first set of the squeeze rolls. The lower roll 55 of the second pair of squeeze rolls may be.

driven from the same source of power as is squeeze roll 26 of the first pair by a mechanical interconnection comprising sprockets 60 and 61 (Fig. 1) mounted on adjacent ends thereof and linked together by a chain 62. Under some conditions it might be advantageous to employ a variable speed interconnection. The second pair of squeeze rolls 55 and 56, in addition to performing the function of drawing the fabric through the bath of chemical treating agent, also by subjecting it to carefully controlled pressure, gives assurance that the chemical treating agent will be pressed into the fabric to completely impregnate it and the fibers thereof.

Upon leaving the second set of squeeze rolls 55 and 56, the fabric may be delivered by any suitable means which will not impose any substantial tensions thereon to a conventional dryer of the type heretofore employed in connection with the chemical treatment of tubular knitted fabrics. In the dryer the moisture and vehicle are driven from the fabric leaving the resin, which has in a well understood manner interacted with the fibers, to form a substantial bond therebetween. In most instances it has been found desirable to pass the fabric through two successive dryers, the function of the first being to remove substantially all of the water and vehicle therefrom and partially cure the fabric, and the second to complete the curing and the setting of the fabric. Thereafter the fabric may be finished in a conventional manner.

The most important aspect of this invention is, however, that the resin treated fabric is presented to the final finishing treatment at or about the desired finish width and in or about in the desired finished condition. As pointed out hereinbefore, one of the primary difiiculties with heretofore conventional resin treatments was that the resin treated fabric, when presented to the final finishing treatment, was not of the proper width and by reason of the fact that it had been cured or set, such improper Width could not be adjusted and held at the proper width during or as a result of the finishing treatment. Hence the important concept of this invention is the presenting of a fabric having a preset condition substantially the same as that desired in a finished fabric to the resin treatment which will maintain substantially the same condition throughout the resin treatment, whereby when it is presented to the finishing treatment it will be presented in a condition which will permit finishing to the finally desired condition.

Various changes and modifications may of course be made in the above-described method and apparatus without departing from our invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, rather than employing the specific spreader and propeller shown, one might employ one of the type shown in Cohn et a1. Patents which may be raised or lowered by means of abell 2,589,344 and 2,589,345, assigned to the same assignee as is this invention. With this latter type of spreader and propeller length, control of the fabric can also be achieved because of the transverse rifiling and complete relaxation longitudinally of the fabric that can be so readily obtained by its use. Further, it is also of course contemplated that our invention may be employed with fabric already containing a certain amount of moisture.

We claim:

1. A method of resin treating tubular knitted fabric which comprises presetting the fabric by spreading the fabric to flattened form and to about the width at which it is desired to subsequently finish the resin treated fabric and applying heated moisture to said spread fabric, impregnating the preset fabric with a curable resinous chemical treating agent, and drying the impregnated preset fabric to cure said resin and to set and dimensionally stabilize the fabric.

2. A method according to claim 1 which includes the step of maintaining the moistened fabric spread to enable the moisture to thoroughly penetrate it.

3. A method according to claim 1 which includes the steps of subjecting the spread fabric after moistening to rolling pressure throughout its width and subjecting the impregnated preset fabric to rolling pressure throughout its width to assure complete resin impregnation thereof.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the heated moisture applied to the fabric is steam.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the steam is applied to both sides of the spread fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 501,476 Blake July 11, 1893 571,281 Newton Nov. 10, 1896 1,534,676 Andrew Apr. 21, 1925 1,979,818 Baker Nov. 6, 1934 2,050,156 Borghetty Aug. 4, 1936 2,121,006 Bener June 21, 1938 2,402,621 Gifford June 24, 1946 2,419,922 Tippetts Apr. 29, 1947 2,472,057 Allen June 7, 1949 2,510,313 Houth et a1. June 6, 1950 2,637,991 Cohn et a1. May 12, 1953 2,657,151 Gensel et al Oct. 27, 1953 2,826,167 Cohn et al. Mar. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 147,484 Australia July 23, 1952 548,794 Great Britain Oct. 26, 1942 664,157 Great Britain Jan. 2, 1952 

1. A METHOD OF RESIN TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC WHICH COMPRISES PRESETTING THE FABRIC BY SPREADING THE FABRIC TO FLATTENED FORM AND TO ABOUT THE WIDTH AT WHICH IT IS DESIRED TO SUBSEQUENTLY FINISH THE RESIN TREATED FABRIC AND APPLYING HEATED MOISTURE TO SAID SPREAD FABRIC, IMPREGNATING THE PRESET FABRIC WITH A CURABLE RESINOUS CHEMICAL TREATING AGENT, AND DRYING THE IMPREGNATED PRESET FABRIC TO CURE SAID RESIN AND TO SET AND DIMENSIONALLY STABILIZE THE FABRIC. 